Of Ice and Water
by Megami-Sama88
Summary: Juvia finally musters up the courage to ask Gray to be her partner on a job. It's an easy job, the reward is big, and nothing can go wrong... right?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **_**Hi guys! This is my first attempt at a Gruvia fic. I'm trying hard to make all the characters stay, well, in character lol. This fic doesn't actually have a particular time period, but I'd say it happens some time after the Grand Games Arc. **_

She watched him from a distance. All tall, lean, strong muscles, with a mop of black hair. So handsome he made her heart flutter. He was brooding. He was always brooding. She took a sip from her mug and continued her scrutinization of him. The guild was warm, despite the fact that outside winter had settled and the air was cold and crisp. Despite the warmth inside the building, everyone was wearing sweaters and warm gloves. That was: everyone except Gray-sama. He was completely comfortable in just his pants. Not that she was complaining... much. She loved looking at the way his muscles bunched up when he moved... the way they rippled in his back, under his deliciously tanned skin. But she wanted to be the only one to see that beautiful sight. Of course she knew that was impossible. Everyone in the guild had already seen Gray-sama naked. It was a sort of tick she learned he had, and he was unable to control it. She didn't mind. She loved naked Gray-sama. She loved all of him. Everything about him was wonderfull to her. Even his broody nature. She watched Natsu-san approach Gray-sama and thump him hard on the back, causing the ice-mage to slosh his drink all over himself. She knew what was coming. They would insult each other, then start brawling, then the whole guild would be involved. To her surprise, Gray-sama shrugged it off... and what was more, Natsu-san's brow furrowed and they began to talk. It seemed serious. She wanted to know what they could be discussing, but then Erza-san approached. Sitting next to the Dragon Slayer, the Fairy Queen leaned in and joined their conversation. Juvia stared curiously at the trio. Suddenly Erza smacked Natsu upside the head, making him thump his head against the table which made Gray-sama guffaw loudly. Erza then turned her eyes to Gray-sama which caused him to sober up immediately. She said something to him... something that made him hang his head and look away. For the briefest second, Erza-san's eyes met Juvia's before looking away again. Juvia sighed and pushed her mug away. Smiling and thanking Mirajane for the hot chocolate, the water mage stood and went to the board where all the jobs were posted. Rent was coming up soon, and while she could afford the rent, it would leave her purse completely depleted, and she still had to eat, right? She scanned the postings and was about to give up when one caught her eye.

**Wanted****: **_Mage with Water and Ice capabilities! _

**Level****: **Easy

**Objective****: **_To create a ring for ice skating for the upcoming birthday of Sir Westly of Red Rose Towne._

**Reward****: **_500k Jewels_

**Note****: **_Please arrive at Red Rose Towne on or before December 8th!_

500k jewels? Why, this was right up her alley! She would ask Gray-sama if he would join her on this job, and they would split the reward and he would be so happy at how easy this job was that he would take Juvis in his arms and... Juvia shook her head. She was letting her imagination run away with her again. She didn't even know if Gray-sama would accept. She had two days to convince him. She unpinned the request and slowly began to make her way towards Gray-sama. Right then Lucy, her love rival, sat infront of the ice-mage. Juvia watched them, the jealousy starting to creep in. And why not? Despite the cold outside, Lucy was wearing one of her very revealing outfits which made her breasts almost pop out of her shirt, showing Gray-sama all her cleavage! And she knew Gray-sama noticed because the tip of his ears had grown red.

"... Natsu is?" Lucy was saying.

"Natsu? He just left. He and Happy said something about going looking for you" Gray responded casually.

"Oh... well... I'm gonna go look for him. If you see him again, please tell him to wait for me at my apartment, will you?" Lucy said, turning slightly pink. Gray-sama raised his eyebrows but agreed to deliver the message.

Juvia waited until her love rival was out of sight before approaching Gray-sama again. She sat down in the seat Lucy had just vacated. She was suddenly breathless and the butterflies in her stomach had began their usual Gray-sama dance. She cleared her throat.

"Oi, Juvia... you ok?" Gray asked her.

"Yes, Juvia is fine. Juvia wanted to ask you something, Gray-sama" she began nervously. Was it her imagination, or had he tensed? That made her heart flip, but not with joy this time. It made her falter. "Y-you see... Juvia has to pay rent soon, so she has to go on a job. Well Juvia found the perfect job and it pays 500 thousand jewels!" she explained, but to her horror, Gray-sama was looking bored. She tried to hurry with her explanation. "Juvia wanted to know if Gray-sama would—" but she was cut off by Natsu-san.

"Yo, ice girl! Has Lucy been through here?" Natsu called out. Gray-sama clenched his fist.

"Yes, flame girl, she was here, asking for you... said something about meeting her at her place" Gray bit out.

"Thanks a lot, ice queen" Natsu said, turning to leave and waving. "By the way, put on some clothes, nobody wants to see you naked" he added. But he was wrong... wrong wrong wrong wrong. Juvia wanted to see Gray-sama naked. But as it was wont to happen Gray attacked Natsu... and the brawl began. Juvia sighed and calmly moved out of Elfman's way, who was shouting something about real men knowing how to rumble. It was late, and she was tired. She decided to try again tomorrow, when Gray-sama was alone. Pulling on her gloves, she stepped out of the guild. The wind was chilly and bit into her skin, having emerged from the warm building. She turned her fur collar up and made her way to Fairy Hills, thinking of a way to ask Gray-sama to accompany her on the job, without sounding totally creepy.

**A/N: **_**Alright, there's the first chapter, I hope you all liked it! Please review! I promise to update as often as I can :) xoxo**_


	2. Chapter 2

Juvia studied her pale reflection in the mirror. It was dawn, and the sun was just coming into view, casting an ethereal light into her window. She took a deep breath as she combed her blue strands, trying to mentally prepare herself for the task ahead. Gray-sama. She would have to control her nerves, be confident. She knew he arrived at the guild early. She knew this because many times she had followed him. Sure, it sounded creepy... perhaps she knew it was... a little. But her intentions were good! Juvia just wanted to muster the courage to talk to Gray-sama. Just have a lovely, normal conversation with him. But she never could, and so she remained hidden, content with just looking at him from a distance. But not today. Today, she was going to ask him out. Ok, so it was only to accompany her on a job, but it was a start, no? She placed her hat on her head and grabbed her coat. It was still too early, but she knew Mira-san would be at the guild already. She flung the door open and quickly locked it behind her. Mulling over her plan in her head, she walked down the hall. As she passed by Erza-san's room, she heard voices. She recognized Erza-san's voice... but there was someone else in there. They were whispering which only served to make Juvia oh so curious. She tip-toed her way to Erza-san's room and pressed her ear against the door. The second voice was definitely male.

"... have to go before we get caught" the fairy queen was saying.

"I know... but I don't want to" the male responded. Juvia couldn't be sure, but she was willing to bet it was Jellal-sama. But what could he be doing in there? To confirm her suspicions, Juvia peeped through the key hole. She knew it was wrong to spy and eavesdrop, but she couldn't help herself. Her jaw dropped, and her cheeks turned bright red. She couldn't see much, but she saw enough. Erza-san was most definitely naked, the towel she wore around her slim figure did very little to cover her nakedness. And... oh goodness gracious... Jellal-sama was naked too, though he was dressing himself hurriedly. Even so, Juvia got an eyeful. More than she had wanted to see. It was very obvious to her now what they had been doing. Her face grew hot at the thought. Stepping away from the door, she cleared her throat. She would never speak of this to anyone, she decided. But she let her imagination run wild as she made her way to the guild hall. To be in Gray-sama's strong arms, not a single layer of clothing between them... her face grew hot once again and she put her hands to her cheeks. Juvia was a naughty, naughty girl. She had to keep those thoughts away.

As she had expected, Mira-san was already at the counter, wiping it down. Mirajane looked up and smiled at the water mage.

"Good morning, Juvia-chan!" she called out cheerfully.

"Good moning, Mira-san" Juvia said, rubbing her hands together. Despite her gloves, the chilly weather had made her hands cold.

Juvia made her way to the counter and took a seat. The only other person in the guild at the moment was Reedus, who waved at Juvia with a smile before returning his attention to his canvas. It was very quiet. Mira-san placed a warm cup of tea infront of Juvia.

"Oh! Thank you, Mira-san" Juvia said greatfully, taking a sip of the warm liquid.

"No problem, Juvia-chan. Are you alright? You seem kind of worried" Mirajane asked.

"Juvia is fine... she just has something she needs to do today" the bluenette said.

"Does it have to do with Gray?" Mira asked, leaning against the counter and smiling at the water mage. Juvia nodded shyly.

"Don't fret, Juvia-chan. Remember that the men in our guild are a little dense when it comes to matters of the opposite sex" the demon said cheerfully. "Whatever it is you want to say to Gray, just be assertive. Resolute. You have to get past his denseness" she added.

Juvia appreciated the advice. She needed all the advice she could get. And she knew Mirajane had experience with dealing with the opposite sex. The men showered her with attention. Juvia wished she was as beautiful and social as the Fairy Demon. But she wasn't. She was gloomy and awkward. Pouting, Juvia took another sip of her tea. Just then, the doors to the guild flew open, startling the three people inside.

"Natsu!" Lucy wailed, "It's way too early! I want to sleep!"

The Dragon Slayer ignored her as he cheerfully pulled her along behind him, Happy flying slowly behind them.

"Lucy, wake up! We have a job to do, and the sooner we leave, the sooner we finish... the sooner we get the reward. You need to pay your rent, right?" Natsu said brightly. The trio sat next to Juvia. "The reward is one million jewels, Luce. Do you know how much food we could buy?" the pink haired mage added. Lucy straightened up immediately.

"One million jewels? Why didn't you say so?! I might even be able to afford the cute pair of boots I saw the other day!" Lucy gushed.

"Boots? Why not fish? You can't eat boots!" Happy chimed in. Juvia listened to the trio discuss their job. So happy and cheery. She rested her chin on her hand and smiled.

"Mira-san, can you give us provisions for the journey? It will be a three day walk" Natsu said.

"Walk?! Why can't we take a train?!" Lucy sqwaked.

"I get sick! And we can't afford it anyways" Natsu replied, scratching his head. Mirajane packed a few items in Natsu's bag and smiled.

"Here you go. Be safe you guys. I'll add these items to your tab, Natsu" the white haired woman said. The trio left with their things, waving bye. a few minutes after they left, Gray-sama walked in. Juvia's heart skipped a beat.

"Oi! Mira, Juvia, Reedus" he said by way of saying hi.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia breathed. Her heart accelerated. Now was her chance.

"Have you guys seen Natsu and Lucy?" Gray-sama asked.

"They left to do a job" Mira-san answered him. She looked between the ice mage and his adoring fan.

"Dammit. That flame brain took off without me" Gray said, flopping himself down on a chair.

"Well, Gray-sama... Juvia was wondering if maybe... Gray-sama wanted to go with her on a job" Juvia said shyly. She pulled the post out of her coat pocket and handed him the note. Gray read it over quickly.

"Sounds easy enough" he said at last. Juvia's heart fluttered.

"Does Gray-sama accept?" she asked breathlessly. Gray-sama scratched his head.

"Yes..." he said, drawing out the word slowly, "but don't go getting any ideas! It's just a job!" he added firmly. Juvia nodded happily. Gray-sama had accepted! She thought she might faint. In fact, she felt light headed... she closed her eyes and swayed.

"Oi! Juvia!" Gray snapped, holding her by the shoulders. It seemeed she _did _almost faint. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment.

"Juvia is sorry!" she said, hiding her face in her hands. She missed when Gray rolled his eyes.

"So, are we leaving today?" Gray-sama asked her. She nodded.

"Yes, if Juvia and Gray-sama leave today we can make it to Red Rose Towne by noon tomorrow, one day earlier than we are needed" she explained.

"Alright then, let's get ready to go" he said, handing Mirajane a couple of jewels for their provisions.

"Oh! Juvia needs to get some things from her room... Juvia will just take a second!" she said happily, leaving the hall in a hurry. She had decided that if Gray-sama accepted, she would dress differently. So he liked women who showed skin? She had just the thing.

**A/N: **_Alright guys, this is the second chapter... I hope you all liked it! I wonder what kind of outfit Juvia will choose? Please review! _


	3. Chapter 3

Juvia knew it was too cold outside to wear what she was wearing. She knew that a few minutes outside would have her shivering and frozen to the bone. But she also knew that Gray-sama liked outfits like these. She had seen the way he would blush whenever a female guild member walked by while wearing something similar. Looking at her reflection one last time, she decided to let her hair loose at the last minute. She liked her hair. She liked that it was long, falling softly past her shoulders. And it was silky smooth too. She left her hat behind this time.

By the time she arrived back at the guild hall, more people occupied the building. Juvia blushed.

"Juvia! What a pleasant surprise!" Cana said, slaming her mug down on a nearby table. "I like this look!" she added, linking her arm with Juvia's. Juvia became flustered when many of the men oggled her. Where was Gray-sama? His opinion was the only one that mattered. She had decided to wear skin-tight, blue leather pants. Her blouse was nothing more than a maroon corset, tied in the front by a thin lace. Yes, she had decided to dress the same way she had been forced to dress on that day she had become Rock and Roller Juvia. She would never admit it... but she had liked it... liked the way it made her look... and had bought a similar outfit. Granted, she had never worn it... till now. And of course she was not wearing any of the ridiculous make up. Juvia didn't like make up. Just then, her thoughts were interrupted.

"Oi! Juvia... are you ready?" Gray-sama called out from behind her. She turned to look at him and smiled, clasping her hands behind her back. Unknowingly, she caused her breasts to strain her corset, showing ample boobage. Cana winked at Gray-sama with a knowing look in her eyes.

"Gray-sama! Juvia is ready!" she chirped. She looked at him intently, not wanting to miss his reaction. Gray-sama cleared his throat.

"Uh... Juvia... isn't it a little cold for you to wear that?" he asked, looking away. Juvia pouted. This was not the reaction she was hoping for.

"No! Juvia is fine. Juvia thinks it's time to go" she said firmly, handing him the bag she had packed for the trip. She walked to the door and Gray followed, adding the bag to the back pack Mirajane had packed for them. He looked Juvia up and down once more, which caused her skin to tingle, then shrugged and pushed the door open. The air was chilly, but the sun was shining brightly now and it wasn't as cold as she had anticipated. Finally they were on their way. Juvia was extatic.

They traveled for a long time in silence. To Juvia, it was comfortable silence, but for Gray-sama she wasn't so sure. He kept glancing at her, but never said anything. She shyly pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Gray-sama? Thank you for accompanying Juvia to this job" she murmured.

"Eh? Oh, yeah, no problem" he said lazily, locking his hands behind his head. "You look good Juvia" he added, almost as an afterthought. Juvia's heart faltered and she blushed. She felt giddy with happiness.

"Thank you Gray-sama!" she said. So he _had _noticed! Maybe Mira-san was wrong... Maybe Gray-sama wasn't so dense after all!

They continued their way to Red Rose Towne, but it was like the ice had been broken. They were talking more like normal friends, and this made Juvia very happy. She had always envied the way Natsu-san and Lucy got along, and she wished for that kind of relationship for her Gray-sama and herself. Perhaps this could be the beginning. A couple of hours into their journey, Juvia's stomach growled. She bit her lip in embarrassment.

"We left without eating breakfast and we've been walking for hours. I think we should stop to eat lunch" Gray-sama said, setting down the heavy back pack beside him. They shared a meal of hot soup, cheese, and bread and chased it down with tea.

"So do you know anything about this Westly person?" Gray asked the water mage, taking a large bite of bread. Juvia shook her head, mouth full of hot soup. "I think Mirajane said he was very wealthy. He once requested to meet her when she was a model for the Sorcerer Magazine" Gray said.

"Juvia wishes that they finish the job quickly, that's all" she said. She rinsed their bowls and cups and Gray put them away. They continued on their path with small chatter. She was able to make him smile, and sometimes he would actually laugh. She adored his laugh, so rare but so heart warming. He was perfect to her in every way. As the evening descended upon them, Juvia began to shiver. To her mortification, Gray-sama removed his own coat and placed it around her shoulders. It was blissfully warm.

"I told you you'd be cold" he said.

"Gray-sama! Aren't you cold?!" she asked urgently, making to take off his coat and give it back. He zipped it up for her instead.

"Juvia, what kind of ice mage would I be if I couldn't withstand my own element?" he said, shoving his hands in his pockets. But as night fell, the wind picked up in freezing gusts, whipping Juvias hair across her face. Gray-sama wasn't too bothered by it, but she hated that it was her fault he wasn't wearing a coat.

"Gray-sama!" she called above the wind, "it's too dark to see and it's freezing! Juvia thinks it's time to find shelter!"

"Yeah! Follow me!" Gray-sama replied, taking hold of her small hand and pulling her behind him. She bearly registered the cold. She was focused on the feel of his large hand holding hers. His hand was rough and strong and warm, despite the cold. He was leading them through the trees and bushes, using his magic to make a knife with which he cut through branches. He managed to find a secluded area where the wind didn't hit as hard. It resembled a thicket, and thankfully it was dry. Gray-sama ushered her into the clearing, and she heard him use his magic once more to make a sort of shelter above the thicket.

"The clouds were gathering, it might rain, but none will get through now" he said as he joined her inside.

"Thank you, Gray-sama" Juvia said, handing back his coat. He shook his head.

"You keep it. I don't really need it. I use it only because people complain about me taking my clothes off" he said with half a smile. Juvia beamed at him.

"Should we build a fire?" Juvia asked, rumaging through the back pack.

"How? I hate to say it, but we need Natsu for that" Gray said grumpily. Juvia giggled.

"Gray-sama is so cute. Natsu-san is not the only person or thing that can make fire" she said, waving a small box of matches infront him.

"Oh... right... I guess I'm just so used to that dumb ass that I forget" he replied. He started a tiny fire with some sticks and leaves. "It will have to do for now" he said. Juvia warmed her hands over the small flames.

"Juvia... Juvia thinks it is best that she and Gray-sama sleep together tonight" she said, avoiding his eyes. Inside, she was shaking, though whether from embarrassment or nerves she could not say. "Gray-sama, the ground is too cold and too hard... we could use both our blankets to cushion the ground better... and Juvia packed extras, just in case" she continued. Gray was quiet for a few moments.

"Alright. But don't go getting any crazy ideas, you hear?" he said after a bit. Juvia almost choked. Gray-sama had agreed to sleep with her?! This went beyond even her wildest dreams! In fact... this would be even better than her fantasies. Together, they spread out the blankets, being careful with their small fire. Putting Gray's coat away, Juvia settled herself between the heavy, warm blankets.

"Gray-sama? Should we leave the entrance to our shelter open?" she asked nervously.

"No, but I'm gonna have to put out the fire, we don't wanna die in here" he said, putting out the fire quickly. He then made an ice door at the entrance. Feeling his way around the dark, he too settled himself between the blankets. There was a moment of awkwardness.

"Gray-sama... I'm cold" Juvia lied. She heard him sigh deeply, but to her surprise and amazement, he pulled her close to him, so that her back was pressed against his chest, his arm resting on her waist. She could have died happy then. In fact, she was quite sure she had died and was in heaven. She nestled even closer to him and she didn't know if it was her imagination or if Gray-sama really was smelling her hair. It didn't matter. She closed her eyes and savored the feeling of being in his arms. She wouldn't mess it up this time by saying something creepy or stupid. She thought she wouldn't sleep a wink that night as her imagination was in overdrive, but she passed out sooner than she realized.

**A/N: **_Hello guys! This is chapter three... I realize it is a little slow, but I promise the good stuff is about to happen! I hope you enjoyed it... Please review! _


	4. Chapter 4

Juvia didn't move. She silently watched her ice mage as he slept. He looked so peaceful and almost innocent in his sleep... and oh so handsome. She ran her fingertips across his lip softly, thinking about how nice it must be to kiss them. She wished she could kiss him, right then and there, but she didn't. If she ever kissed Gray-sama, she wanted him to be awake. She gently shook him.

"Gray-sama... we must continue on our way" she said quietly. He stirred, mumbled something about five more minutes and unconsciously wrapped his arms around Juvia's small waist, successfully pulling her on top of him.

"Gray-sama! This... this is too soon! I don't think I'm ready!" she babbled, more out of nervous giddiness than anything else. Something about being so close to Gray-sama left her unable to form coherent thoughts; her imagination was always on overdrive. He suddenly pushed her off of him, none too kindly.

"Juvia! What the hell?!" he snapped, rubbing his face. Juvia frowned.

"Gray-sama must not think Juvia was trying to seduce him! Juvia would never do that! It was Gray-sama who fully intended to take Juvia!" she said, holding the blankets close to her chest, covering herself and looking alarmed. The las t thing she needed was for the ice mage to think she was trying to seduce him in his sleep!

"Fully intended to... Juvia! I told you not to get any weird ideas! I wasn't trying to... to... I was half asleep, dammit!" he said, flinging the covers off him and pulling on his boots. He left their small shelter without another word. But Juvia had noticed him blush. She smiled to herself as she packed their things back into their bags. She took a few minutes to freshen up and comb her hair, and when she stepped outside, Gray-sama was sitting on a nearby log. The sky outside was grey, but thankfully the wind had died down during the night. Juvia was glad it wasn't raining, or worse: snowing.

"Juvia will make a quick breakfast so she and Gray-sama can get going" she said, avoiding his eyes.

"We don't have much to cook with Juvia, I think it's best we eat as we walk" Gray-sama said, pulling out the left over bread and the last piece of cheese. He broke the two in half and handed Juvia her share. "Good thing that by tomorrow, we will have a good reward. We won't have to travel on foot or sleep outside. And we can have real food" Gray-sama said. She only nodded and took a bite of her bread.

Unfortunately, because of that morning's incident, the remainder of their trip was spent in awkward silence. Juvia was glad that they had finally reached their destination, and right on time, too.

"Gray-sama... if Westly-san is very wealthy, then it is safe to assume that he lives there, no?" she said, pointing at a palace a few ways away. Gray snorted.

"Yeah, I think it's safe to assume he lives there" he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. They made their way to the palace and knocked on the door. A fancy-looking butler answered.

"Yes?" the butler asked haughtily, looking down his long nose at the mages.

"We're here about the job request. We're Fairy Tail mages" Gray answered rather crossly.

"Mages? From Fairy Tail?" the butler inquired, raising an eyebrow. Juvia was sure Gray-sama had resisted the urge to punch the butler in the face. Instead, he showed him the Fairy Tail insignia under his shirt.

"I've heard about you fairy folk," the butler said, "your reputation precedes you".

"Do you want our help or not?" Gray-sama snapped. Juvia bit her lip. She didn't want things to get out of control.

"Certainly. Master requires your talents" the butler sneered, and reluctantly opened the door to let them in.

Juvia looked around in awe as they stepped into the enormous hall. Its' marbled floors and pillars were so polished she could see her own reflection. It was exceptionally fancy, Juvia thought. The painting hanging on the wallnwere framed by what appeared to be gold.

"This way" the butler huffed, motioning for them to follow. He lead them through a huge door and into an even bigger room. This room had expensive couches and chairs. The carpet was white, and had an embroidered, red, velvet rug in the middle upon which a glass table stood.

"Sit. Master will be with you shortly" the butler said, stepping out of the room. Gray-sama put down the heavy back pack and flopped down onto a couch.

"This guy sure is living large" he said, looking around. Juvia sat next to him.

"Juvia thinks it's beautiful" she said, running her hand across the fabric of the couch they were sitting on. Just then, the door opened, causing Juvia and Gray to stand. In came the butler, followed by a young man, dressed almost like royalty. He couldn't be older than twenty-five. He was tall and lean and his eyes were grey. So grey they were borderline silver, giving him an almost cat-like appearance. His hair was messy and dark, but not black. He gave them a dazzling smile. Juvia swallowed hard. He was handsome. Too handsome.

"Ah, Fairy Tail mages!" he said cheerfully, spreading his arms as though to embrace them. Instead, he clapped Gray-sama on the shoulder with his left hand, while shaking his hand with his right. Then he turned his eyes to Juvia and his smile broadened. He took her hand in both of his and kissed it gently, causing her to blush furiously.

"I sent my request to all the nearby guilds, but I was hoping it was Fairy Tail who would take the job. I was not disappointed" he said. "I'm Westly, by the way".

"Why Fairy Tail?" Gray asked, ever cautious and suspicious.

"Are you kidding? You guys won the Grand Games and all that. Besides, my little sister wanted to meet you, Gray-kun" Westly explained, still holding Juvia's hand in his. She tried pulling it away without seeming rude. "As for me," Westly continued, "I wanted to meet this lovely young lady". His eyes bore into Juvia, and that made her feel weak. Gray-sama cleared his throat. Westly let go of Juvia's hand and grinned. "I woud have sent for you specifically, but I know how busy guild mages can be, and as the party is the day after tomorrow, I didn't want to disappoint Saori, in case Fairy Tail couldn't make it" Westly further explained. He called the butler forward and asked for drinks.

"Juvia-chan... I must say, you are even more beautiful in person. I like your new look, too. I saw your excellent performance all throughout the Games, but I must say, this is the best I've seen you" Westly said, smiling at the water mage. She turned a pretty pink.

"Sir Westly is very kind to Juvia" she mumbled, looking down at her hands curled up in her lap. She hated being called Juvia-chan, but he was their client, after all.

"Please, call me Westly" he grinned. Juvia was too embarrassed to look at the handsome young man, but she looked over at Gray-sama, who only shrugged. Still, she thought he looked a little angry.

The butler arrived with a tray. He set their cups on the table, and poured each some amber liquid Juvia was not familiar with. She watched Sir Westly and Gray-sama down the liquid in one gulp. She took a sip and almost spit it out. She forced herself to swallow, but she felt tears well in her eyes as the liquid burned its way down her throat.

"The finest whiskey this side of town" Westly said.

"Cana would kill for a drink of that" Gray-sama chuckled. Juvia wrinkled her nose amd put her cup down, hoping it wouldn't offend their client.

"So..." the young mand said, pouring Gray and himself another shot, "how about we discuss the job? It will be a breeze for the two of you". He took a sip of his drink. "The skating ring was built in the back of the main hall, where the ball will take place. All you need to do is fill the ring and freeze it, and just make sure it will last at least a week. My guests will be staying as long, and I would like to entertain them for the duration of their stay" he explained. "It's an indoor skating ring, so your working conditions will be pleasant. And, I would like for the both of you to attend my party" he added, leaning back against the couch. This surprised Juvia and Gray-sama.

"That's not gonna be possible, we have to head back as soon as possible" Gray-sama lied, downing the rest of the whiskey in his cup.

"Nonsense! I requested that you arrive on or before the 8th, that's the day of my party. It's the 6th now, so if you finish the job today, all you have to do is spend a day of leizure tomorrow, attend the party the day after, and be on your way the next morning" Westly said. He turned his attention to the blue-haired mage before him.

"Juvia-chan... say you will attend... as my guests of honor... please?" he said, giving her one of his dazzling smiles. She opened her mouth to refuse, because she knew Gray-sama didn't want to attend, but then Westly-san winked at her and she nodded.

"Very well, Westly-san. Juvia and Gray-sama will attend your party" she smiled, careful to avoid Gray-sama's eyes. She could feel it. She could feel he was annoyed with her.

"Great! Thank you, beautiful muse. My butler will show you to your rooms now" the young man said, standing and motioning for the butler. "After dinner, you guys can check out the ring and all that. See you then" he said, and then left the room.

Gray-sama glared at Juvia and she was suddenly doubting her decision. But attending a party couldn't be so bad... could it?

**A/N: **Hi guys! Well, they finally met their client! Did Juvia make the right choice? Who knows! You'll find out next chapter (which I'm already writing, possibly ready for upload today too). I want to apologize for any grammatical errors and typos I may have made. I'm writing this on my phone, and it's a lot more difficult than it sounds lol. Till next chappy! xoxo


	5. Chapter 5

Juvia settled into her room. Like the rest of the palace, it was lavishly decorated and beautiful. She hadn't thought to pack much clothes, as this was supposed to have been a quick job. They should have been on their way as soon as they finished the job, but thanks to her, now they had to stay for the party, and she had nothing to wear! Nothing! And poor Gray-sama didn't either. She was beginning to regret her decision. She thought about going next door to Gray-sama's room to apologize, but there was a knock at her door.

"Um... come in" she said rather nervously. Could it be Gray-sama? But it was a pretty, slim, young lady who came in instead. She wore a beautiful dress and looked a lot like Westly-san. Juvia guessed it was his little sister.

"Juvia-chan!" she squealed, "It's so good to meet you! I'm Westly-kun's younger sister, Saori". She extended her dainty hands towards Juvia and pulled her into a quick hug, kissing the bluenette's cheeks. Juvia blushed, but smiled.

"Juvia is pleased to meet you too" she said shyly.

"Nii-san told me that you and that delicious Gray Fullbuster were gonna stay for the party, is that correct?" the dark-haired girl asked with a wide grin on her pretty face. Juvia stiffened. She didn't need another pretty rival for Gray-sama's love. Lucy was enough.

"Yes, that is correct" she answered stiffly, forcing a smile.

"Magnificent! Then I better go introduce myself to Gray... I bet he's even better looking in person!" Saori-san said, pulling the sides of her dress up into her hands. "See you at dinner, Juvia-chan" she said, winking before closing the door. Juvia exhaled deeply, trying to control herself. It was clear Saori-san wanted to fight for Gray-sama's love. Well, she had news for Saori... she would never let her have Gray-sama! She pressed her ear against the wall. Thank the heavens that Gray-sama's room was adjacent to hers. She could hear their conversation. She was aware that since joining Fairy Tail, she had become quite adept at spying and eavesdropping. She wasn't proud of that, but when it came to Gray-sama, she had to do what she had to do. She listened closely.

"... how very handsome you are. Definitely better looking in person" Saori purred. Juvia clenched her teeth.

"Uh, thanks... I guess" Gray-sama replied.

"Maybe you can join me after dinner for an evening stroll in our gardens?" Saori-san asked sweetly. Juvia wanted to punch the wall. Her heart hammered in her chest, anxiously waiting for Gray-sama's answer.

"Can't" he said nonchalantly, "we gotta get to work right away. Your brother wants us to finish the skating ring as soon as possible". Juvia almost squealed with glee.

"Oh, that's too bad" Saori responded, and Juvia imagined that she was pouting. The water mage snickered quietly. "Well, tomorrow then... I can think of a few things we can do together" Saori said, a mischivious tone in her voice. A tone Juvia disliked. She disliked it very much.

"Uh... yeah, ok. Maybe" was Gray-sama's answer. Juvia clenched her fists. Gray-sama was most certainly _not_ going to do anything together with her second love rival! Who knew what kind of things that Saori girl had in mind? For a fleeting moment, images of naked Erza and naked Jellal and what she imagined they had most likely been doing floated in Juvia's mind. Her hands flew to her face as she turned bright red. NO! Gray-sama and Saori-san would most definitely _not _be doing _that_. Not if she could help it! She removed her Gray-sama's coat and placed it at the foot of the bed. Ah, if only Gray-sama knew how much she loved him... how happy she could make him... She threw herself onto the enormous bed. It was blissfully soft and comfortable; like being on a bed made of clouds. She fell asleep to dreams of Gray-sama telling her he loved her and that he wanted to marry her and have thirty babies...

Hours later, she was woken by yet another knock at her door. One look out the window told her the sun was setting, casting a beautiful orange and red glow across the sky. They knocked again. Juvia sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Come in" she called out. This time it was a young girl; a maid.

"Good evening, Juvia-sama" the young maid smiled and bowed. "I was sent to inform you that dinner will be served in approximately forty-five minutes. Also, the clothes inside this closet is for your use, if you wish".

"Oh... Juvia thanks you very much" the blue haired mage said. It was odd for her to be addressed so formally. The maid smiled and bowed again and turned to leave. "Wait! Please wait... Juvia doesn't know what to wear. Juvia has never been to a normal dinner at such a fancy place" she murmured, looking down at her feet.

"My pleasure, Juvia-sama" the maid said, walking into the room and towards the closet. She opened the door and Juvia's jaw almost dropped. It was like a whole other room inside her room, but full of beautiful clothes. "This is not a formal dinner, so casual clothes will do just fine" the maid began. "Now, why not wear this lovely dress? No? Ok, you're right, it's too fluffy. Hmm... why not this?" the young girl said, pulling out a lovely, wisteria-colored, short dress. Juvia inspected the garment. It was a double layered sundress, with thin straps. It was light and breezy and that was ok, because it was very warm inside the palace.

"Yes, Juvia likes this very much, thank you" the rain woman said smiling. The maid returned her smile.

"Excellent taste, Miss. These are the matching heels, try them on for size"she said, handing Juvia the pumps. Juvia removed her boots and tried on the shoes. Perfect fit. "Wonderful" the maid said, "now, if you wish to bathe before dinner, the bathroom is in there" she pointed at the door at the far end of the room. Juvia thanked the maid and locked her door when she left.

After her bath, she quickly dressed and dried her blue hair. Juvia studied her features in the mirror. She wasn't ugly, she knew that. But she wasn't as beautiful as Mira-san, or have big breasts like Lucy, or strength like Erza-san. She couldn't drink like Cana and didn't have as much knowledge as Levy-chan. She wasn't cheery like Lisanna, or flirty like Evergreen. She sighed. No, she wasn't like any of her female guild mates. Why would Gray-sama ever be interested in a bland person like herself? She shook her head sadly. Yet another knock at her door.

"Juvia-sama, dinner is ready, please follow me". It was the butler. She could already recognize his nasally voice. She opened the door and stepped out. The butler didn't so much as look at her and merely started walking. She didn't care. Right now she could only look at Gray-sama. He was even more handsome than usual, in a pair of grey slacks, black dress shoes, a white dress shirt, and blue tie. He too had just bathed, his hair was still damp. He hadn't bothered to comb it though. He never did.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia squeaked. "You look wonderful!" She tried to contain herself a lot nowadays. Ever since he had told her he didn't like her to be so 'drooly' over him, she had made an effort to contain her outbursts. But she couldn't help it sometimes. He snorted as way of thanks.

"You, uh, look good too" he said, looking her up and down in a way that made her skin tingle. She blushed.

"Thank you, Gray-sama. Juvia likes the way the dress feels when she does this..." she said, swaying slowly so that the sundress swished back and forth against her knees.

"Please hurry, Master doesn't like waiting" the butler snapped. Together, the mages followed him into the most extraordinary dining room they had ever set foot in. Already sitting were Saori-san and Westly-san. He stood up quickly and opened a chair for Juvia, next to him. Juvia looked at Gray-sama for help but he ignored her. Saori encouraged him to sit next to her, which he did, to Juvia's dismay. She had no choice but to accept her place next to Westly-san, across from Gray-sama and Saori-san.

"You look beautiful" Westly-san said quietly, leaning close to Juvia. She felt herself blushing. She wasn't used to this kind of attention. She looked at him and smiled, hoping it didn't look like a grimace.

"Juvia thinks you look nice too" she said awkwardly, looking down and tucking her hair behind her ear. The servants came in with their dinner, which consisted of roasted pork, steamed vegetables in butter, potatos and salad, accompanied with red wine. Juvia didn't like wine... she didn't like drinking. Nevertheless, she ate and drank and took part in the conversation, even though all she wanted to do was get out of there as soon as possible. Westly-san's compliments and obvious attraction to her was making her uncomfortable. And to make matters worse, she was aware of how Saori would lightly touch Gray-sama's hand, how she laughed at everything Gray-sama said, how she leaned into him, showing him ample amount of cleavage, how she made googly eyes at him... how he seemed to enjoy it. Juvia wanted to drown her. Of course she wouldn't, but she wanted to.

"Juvia-chan... are you alright?" Westly-san asked her. Juvia was jolted back to her present predicament and she realized she was gripping her fork rather tightly. She smiled at her client.

"Yes, Juvia is fine, thank you" she said, pushing her empty plate away. After a few moments, servants came to pick up the dinner plates, followed by servants who placed desert infront of them. Strawberry cheesecake. Juvia loved strawberry cheesecake. She thought dinner might not be so bad after all until Saori was trying to feed a distressed-looking Gray. He was saying something to her, but Juvia couldn't hear what. Beside her, Westly-san chuckled.

"Looks like those two hit it off eh?" he said jokingly. Her hand twitched.

Juvia stuffed her mouth with cheesecake so she wouldn't have to answer. She finished her desert in silence, pretending to listen to what Westly-san was saying, but in truth, she was trying to ignore the way Saori-san was throwing herself at Gray-sama. She was relieved when dinner was finally over, and their client showed them to the ring. It was enormous and at the moment, very much empty. But the room was already being adorned and readied for the party.

"Well, this is it. It _is _rather large, but I am sure you two can handle it... right?" Westly asked.

"Of course, this is no problem for us" Gray-sama said, pulling away from Saori-san.

"Perfect. Then I'll let the two of you do your thing now. I will retire for the night. I'm tired and there is still much to do" the young master said. "Saori, it is your bed time as well. Please don't disturb them" he added, pulling his sister along beside him. Gray and Juvia looked at each other for a few seconds.

"Ready when you are" Gray-sama shrugged.

"Juvia is ready" she replied.

**A/N: **_Hey guys... so this is chapter five... hope you liked it! Please review and let me know what you think! xoxo_


	6. Chapter 6

Juvia inspected the hole in the ground. It was deep, but it'd be easy to fill.

"Gray-sama? Will we perform a Unison Raid?" she asked. Gray-sama shook his head.

"Nah. That's using too much magical power for something so easy" he said, hands in his pockets. To Juvia, he looked like the most handsome man in Earthland. She was a little disappointed that she wouldn't perform a Unison Raid with Gray-sama, but she knew he was right. Placing her hands together, she used her Water Beam skill to project a high-pressure jet of water at the hole. It took a few minutes to fill up to the desired mark, but she managed it with ease. It was wonderful how little magic she used now, since releasing Second Origin. She smiled to herself. Gray-sama gave her a half-smile and went to the ring's edge. He sat back on his haunches and places his palm just above the water's surface. She watched him in awe as he used his most basic skill, Freeze, to finish their job in less than two minutes. She clapped her hands together.

"Kya! Gray-sama is so awesome!" she squealed in excitement. Gray shook his head.

"Seriously Juvia, you're acting like you haven't seen me use this technique a thousand times before" he said, straightening up.

"But Gray-sama looks amazing tonight" she said excitedly. Gray rolled his eyes as he undid his tie and removed his dress shirt, which caused Juvia to swallow hard. "Gray-sama shouldn't undress in the palace!" she advised, forcing herself to look away from his incredibly toned body.

"Hmmm... maybe you're right" he said, shrugging back into the dress shirt. He was in the process of buttoning up his shirt, when the butler came in, followed by Saori-san. Juvia was immedately aware of how Saori-san was feasting her eyes on Gray-sama.

"Great! You're all done! Nii-san allowed me to come check on you, and to give you your reward" Saori said with a big smile, addressing only Gray. "Five hundred thousand jewels for the job" she added, handing Gray a brown pouch with their jewels. "Also, Nii-san wants to give you this" she said, and she motioned for the butler to come foward. He handed Gray and Juvia a smaller pouch each. "One hundred thousand jewels for each, as way of saying thank you for staying to attend the ball" the young girl explained.

"Wow, thanks" Gray-sama said. Saori smiled seductively at him. Juvia was getting furious.

"Juvia thanks you very much tooo" she said, gripping her pouch tightly. Saori turned her eyes to the water mage and smiled.

"No problem, we thank you both" Saori-san said. There was a moment of awkward silence. Saori raised her eyebrows at Juvia. "Um... could I have a word with Gray-kun?" she asked the bluenette. Juvia's heart faltered for a fraction of a second.

"Oh! Oh... uh... yes, Juvia is sorry. Have a good night, Saori-san" she said, turning a little red.

"Good night, Juvia-chan" Saori said. Juvia wasn't sure, but she thought she heard a note of triumph under the sweetness. She left the room quickly, thinking that maybe it was her jealous imagination. Still, her heart felt heavy as she slowly made her way to her room, head bowed, hands clasped infront of her. She felt like crying and she didn't even know why. But actually, deep down, she knew exactly why. It was because Gray-sama was not hers. Not really. He had never shown interest in her, and she wanted to give him time to realize that she was what he needed, but what if someone else came along and took him from her? He wasn't in any way attached to Juvia, so it was very possible that he could find someone else. Someone beautiful... like Saori-san. Tears threatened to spill, when she was startled out of depressing thoughts.

"Oi! Juvia!" he called out. She wheeled around and saw Gray-sama walking her way. She dismissed her tears quickly and waited for him. To her utter astonishment, he draped his arm around her shoulders.

"This is the most jewels I've ever gotten for a job that only took five minutes" he said, looking down at her. Her heart fluttered and she blushed. "Thanks for inviting me. I'll put the reward in our bags and we can devide it when we get back to Fairy Tail. Guess this wasn't such a bad idea after all. I do want to get out of here as soon as possible though" he added as they started to walk. Juvia was too exstatic to say anything.

"Gray-sama? Can...can Juvia ask what Saori-san wanted?" she asked quietly. Gray-sama grunted.

"You just did, didn't you?" he said. Juvia turned pink. "She wants me to go with her and her little friends tomorrow to some outing bullshit" he explained. Juvia stiffened.

"Why only Gray-sama? She wants to fight Juvia for Gray-sama's love! Juvia knew it!" the water mage said, getting fired up. Gray-sama put his hands infront of him as if in surrender.

"Whoa there... sometimes I wonder where your imagination takes you. Nobody is fighting anyone for any reason" he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Juvia was disappointed that he was no longer holding her, but she cherished that moment anyway. "As far as I know, Saori said her brother wanted to take you somewhere too" Gray-sama said. Something in his tone made her look up at him. He wasn't looking at her. He was looking at the paintings hanging on the hallway wall.

"Westly-san wants to take Juvia somewhere?" she repeated. Gray-sama shrugged. They were standing outside their adjacent rooms.

"That's what she said" he replied. "Anyway, good night Juvia. See you tomorrow" he added, and went inside his own room without looking at her.

The next day Juvia was woken by a knock at her door in the early hours of the morning. She yawned and stretched before calling out "Come in!" and sitting up. The door opened, letting in Westly-san. Juvia's eyes widened and she instinctively pulled the covers up to her chin. She didn't know why, as she was wearing flannel pijamas, but she was still self-concious.

"Good morning, my beautiful blue flower" Westly-san said with a grin. He made his way to the window and threw open the curtains, letting in the sunlight. "I've come to personally invite you on a tour of my palace" he said enthusiastically. Juvia only stared at him. "I promise you will enjoy yourself" he added, giving her a dazzling smile.

"Juvia thinks—" the water mage began, but he cut her off.

"Don't think, my pretty one, just say yes! We can even go around town and visit the shops!" he said, sitting at the foot of her bed. Juvia thought this was a little bold, him sitting on the bed with her as though he was familiar with her from long ago. But she considered the offer. If they went shopping, she could buy a dress for tomorrow's ball, instead of borrowing one from the palace. And Gray-sama was going to be out and about too, so she really did have nothing to do today. She smiled at Westly-san and nodded.

"Very well. Juvia accepts. Juvia has to get ready now" she said, implying to him that he should leave. She really didn't want him close to her while she was in her pijamas. Westly grinned and bowed.

"I'll be back for Juvia-chan in an hour" he said with a grin and left. Juvia sighed. She got out of bed and took a quick shower. Wrapped in a towel, she began to look through the clothes hanging inside the enormous closet. She chose an outfit that consisted of tight, dark blue jeans, a black, long-sleeved blouse, a grey scarf and matching grey, knee-length boots. She picked a cute little black beret to finish off the look. She hoped Gray-sama would like it. She turned around and squeaked, dropping her towel in surprise. Gray-sama was standing behind her, in nothing but his boxers. He turned bright red at the sight of her naked body. Juvia immediately picked up the towel and wrapped herself in it again.

"Gray-sama! I didn't hear you come in!" she said, covering her face with her hands. She was so embarrassed!

"Sorry! Juvia, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to... I just overheard you say that you were going with Westly and I..." he trailed off. Juvia peeked through her fingers at Gray-sama. He was staring at her, slack-jawed. He cleared his throat but seemed unable to tear his eyes away from her. Juvia looked down at herself. The towel was gone again. She yanked it up to her body.

"NO!" she howled in embarrasment. "Gray-sama! Get out!"

"Sorry!" Gray said again. She locked herself inside the closet until she was sure Gray-sama was gone. How embarrasing! This was not how she had imagined being naked with Gray-sama would be. But, she thought, they were even now, no? She had seen him naked plenty of times. She supposed that what bothered her more was her shattered illusion of being naked with Gray-sama in a more romantic setting. Still, despite her embarrassment, something gave her hope. Gray-sama had appeared to like what he saw. She bit her lip to hide her grin. When she dressed, there was a slight spring to her step...

"Juvia-chan... I must say, you look amazing today" Westly-san said. He was sitting across from her on the open carriage that was being pulled by two beautiful, palomino horses. Juvia shifted a little uncomfortably in her seat. Technically he wasn't a client anymore, right? She cleared her throat.

"Westly-san... please do not call Juvia Juvia-chan" she said, looking down at her hands.

"Just Juvia then" he said cheerfully. "Our first stop is a well known restaurant in town called Mamma Dean's. It's not a fancy place by far, but the food is delicious. After breakfast, we will go through the shops around town. For lunch, we will eat at The Waterfall Cuisine. Five Star restaurant with the most exquisite food you will ever eat... but dont tell my chef that" he laughed. "After lunch, we will return to the palace for a tour, maybe even try out the new ice skating ring. Saori said she and Gray-kun would meet us there for dinner at eight" Westly finished. Juvia stared at him.

"Wow... Westly-san has everything planned" she said. What else could she say? It seemed like he had everything under control.

"By the way" he said, placing a hand on her knee, "I never got to thank you properly for doing a great job on the ice ring". He let his hand linger a few more seconds, which made Juvia want to kick him. But they had arrived at their destination.

**A/N: **_Hi guys! I think tonight might be a double upload night again lol. I wanted to ask if you guys mind the really long chapters, or if it's better to chop them up into different chapters? Also, some spicy things might go down in the next chapter or two, and I want to know if y'all are ok with lemony stuff, or should I keep it clean? Please let me know what you guys think! xoxo_


	7. Chapter 7

After visiting almost every shop town, Juvia was starting to believe she might have to borrow yet another outfit from the palace for tomorrow's party. She was annoyed at the attention Westly-san was showering her with, her feet hurt from walking non-stop since 8 a.m. and she still hadn't found a dress she liked. Plus, she wanted to know what Gray-sama was doing. Her mood was getting fowler by the minute, and she feared if things kept up, the rain was sure to come. Juvia wanted to pull her arm away from Westly-san, who had hooked it through his elbow and was covering her hand with his, but his hold was firm. This was further annoying Juvia, as people would most definitely assume she was this man's girlfriend. There was nothing wrong with that seeing as he was very handsome, and very wealthy, and apparently well liked by the town's people, but he wasn't Gray-sama.

"Ah, my dearest Juvia, we have finally arrived at the last, and best shop in town" Westly-san said, opening the door for her. She stepped inside quickly and took advantage of him releasing her arm to clasp her hands behind her. It really was the best and most elegant shop they had been to all day. It was lined with expensive clothes and shoes and jewelery that probably cost more than the entire guild, Juvia was sure. She walked around, admiring all the beautiful dresses. Dresses fit for queens, she sighed. Then she spotted that dress and she fell in love. She pulled it off the hanger and pressed it to her body. It was a beautiful, red velvet dress with capped sleeves, a slanted neckline, a ruched right side, and a slit on the left side that went up to just above the knee. She wanted this dress. Gray-sama would love this dress. The short, elderly shop owner walked over to her.

"Are you Juvia-sama from Fairy Tail?" he asked, peering into her face.

"Oh... why yes" she replied, still holding that dress. The elderly man looked at the garment in her hands and smiled toothlessly.

"Ah, Juvia-sama has excellent taste. This dress costs seven hundred and eighty thousand jewels" he said. The information almost made Juvia faint. "But for you, Juvia-sama, I will reduce the price to sixty-five thousand jewels and an autographed picture" he grinned. Juvia couldn't believe her luck! She immediately agreed. The old man stood next to her and the young lady who worked for him took their picture then took a picture with Juvia herself. Juvia didn't know Fairy Tail had made such an impact. She felt like Mirajane as she signed the pictures and thanked them for the dress.

"Very nice dress" Westly-san said, walking beside her. She was looking at the jewelry.

"Thank you. Juvia thinks so too" she replied, leaning down to look at a necklace. It was made of silver, and had two charms attached to it. Upon further inspection, Juvia realized it was actually two necklaces, each with its own charm, but together, they made one. It was a heart with a key embedded in it. She looked at the price, cringed a little, but handed over the money. She had enough left for one pair of shoes, which she chose in the color black, to match with her red dress.

"I believe we should be headed to The Waterfall Cuisine, what say you? It's already lunch time" Westly said, putting his hand on the small of her back and gently pushing her through the door. The driver of their carriage took her bags and put them away. Juvia felt like she was being sheppered, but didn't want to be rude. Instead, she listened politely to Westly-san's stories and did as she was told until they arrived at the five star restaurant. She really didn't want to be here. She wasn't made for the high life. She was already regretting spending so much money on shoes and a dress, and the necklace, too. But the necklace was special. She was helped out of the carriage by Westly-san who immediately linked her arm with his again. At the door, he was greeted as a revered and regular guest, and shown to his table immediately.

"Westly-san comes here often?" Juvia asked, looking around. Everyone here seemed to be wealthy.

"Yes, I come here at least twice a week" he said, opening the chair for her. She thanked him and sat down. When Westly sat across from her, a waiter came to take their drink order. "Give me the regular, Antony, and bring the lady your best champagne" Westly-san said. Juvia bristled. How dare he order for her? She didn't even drink! But, he was paying for her meal so she kept quiet. She looked at the menu and almost choked. The prices were ridiculously high. She didn't even know what half of the items on the menu were or how to pronounce them. The waiter arrived with their drinks, and just then, someone called out to them.

"Nii-san! Juvia-chan!" she said. It was Saori-san, clinging to the arm of a very bored looking Gray, whose hands were stuffed in his pockets. They were surrounded by at least five other males and females.

"Nee-san! Fancy meeting you here! Come, join us" Westly said. Saori-san and her guests gathered round, and the waiters quickly joined tables and added chairs for everyone to sit. As fate would have it, and to add to Juvia's distress, Saori sat down next to Gray, right across from the water mage. She had a perfect view of them. She hated the way Saori was practically throwing herself at Gray. How her friends giggled like idiotic school girls at whatever Westly and Gray said. She hated how Saori would lightly tap Gray-sama's thigh every now and then. Gray-sama looked at Juvia and shrugged as if to say: oh well. What she also hated was how Westly-san kept holding her hand, and how he leaned in to her to whisper things in her ear. Things that didn't even have to be whispered. She suspected he just wanted a reason to be close to her. It was starting to make her feel sick.

Lunch passed by slower than Juvia would have hoped. She had a headache and she just wanted to leave. The food had been ok, but nothing compared to Mirajane's cooking. The inceasant fliritng by Westly-san and Saori-san was driving her mad. The sky overhead began to darken with grey clouds.

"Oh, that's odd. They didn't say it would rain today!" Saori pouted prettily. "We still have places to see!"

"Perhaps it's the perfect chance to go ice skating!" one of her friends suggested brightly. There was general agreement and everyone stood to leave. Juvia wasn't paying attentiont to anything that was going on. Her headache was growing worse and she knew the rain was her fault. Apprently so did Gray-sama. He took her hand and pulled her aside.

"Juvia? You ok?" he asked, real concern in his handsome face. Juvia nodded.

"Juvia is fine. Juvia is just tired and overwhelmed by everything" she said."Juvia wants to go home". He gave her a quick hug.

"I know. It's almost over though" he said, and gave her a small pat on her shoulder.

"Is something wrong?" Saori asked behind them.

"No, Juvia is just feeling tired" Gray-sama explained.

"Oh, that's too bad. Perhaps my brother should take care of her? If she is indisposed, I know he'll be good to her" she said. Juvia looked at Gray, and he looked a little angry.

"Certainly, I'll take care of my darling Juvia" Westly said, walking up to them.

"Juvia is not your darling" Juvia said without thinking. There was a small pause and then Saori laughed.

"Look at that, Gray-kun, I think they really like each other!" she tinkled, and pulled Gray away. Juvia was at her limit.

"Juvia wants to go now" she told Westly-san flatly.

"Of course. I am sorry if I offended you, Juvia" he said. The rain started falling. Good thing the carrriage had the top on now, Juvia thought. She hadn't summoned the rain in a long, long time. She had Gray-sama to thank for that. And she had the Red Rose Towne siblings to thank for making it rain again. The rest of the trip was made in silence.

"Westly-san... Juvia apologizes for ruining a perfectly lovely day" she said when they arrived at the palace. He helped her down.

"Nonesense. I had a great time" he grinned. Juvia smiled at him.

"Thank you for everything, Westly-san" she said. She grabbed her bags and made her way to the room.

That evening, Juvia sent word with the butler that she would not be down for dinner. Her headache was gone, but she wasn't hungry. Instead, she wandered around the palace on her own. Every room and hallway was decorated in elegant furniture and expensive rugs. Original paintings hung on the walls and everything reminded Juvia of castles in the fairy tales she used to read as a child. She wasn't aware of where she was going, she just admired her surroundings. She came to a rather dark hallway. It was long and narrow and decidedly colder than the rest of the palace. Juvia was curious to know what was at the end, so she explored further. At the end of the hallway was a stone staircase leading down to what she assumed was a basement. She was about to follow the stairs down, but she was stopped.

"Juvia-sama?" said a familiar voice. Juvia turned to see the young maid who had helped her the day before. She was carrying a basket full of freshly washed clothes.

"Hello... Juvia was just touring the palace..." Juvia said sheepishly. The young maid shook her head and placed the basket down. She grabbed Juvia's hand and pulled her away from the stairs. She lowered her voice so that Juvia could bearly hear her.

"Juvia-sama, you shouldn't be in this part of the palace. Please don't ever come back this way" the young maid said urgently.

"Juvia doesn't understand" the water mage said, starting to get a little alarmed.

"Promise me that you won't wander on your own again... especially to this place" the young maid said. "Promise me, Miss" she said again.

"What is down there?" Juvia asked. The young maid shook her head again.

"It is no business of yours Miss, no offense. Some things are best left unsaid. It's safer, see?" she said, picking up her basket. "Now, lets forget this ever happened and be on our way... ok?" she said, and Juvia followed her. Still, she wondered what was down there. Why was it such a secret? She looked back one last time and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Perhaps maybe it _was _better not to know.

**A/N: **_Sorry guys, I just can't seem to shut up lol. I'm on a writing streak, and I'm ready to start writing the next chapter! I want to thank everyone who has followed and reviewed my fic, if means a lot! I hope everyone is enjoying reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it! Also, the dress I described here is actually a real dress by the talented designer Antonio Berardi, so if you want to know what it looks like, just google Red Velvet Dress by Antonio Berardi and it should be the first image on google images. Remember to review... it does my heart good and inspires me to keep writing... xoxo_


	8. Chapter 8

It was finally the day of the party. Thankfully, Juvia didn't see much of Westly-san or his sister throughout the day, as they were busy with the last touches and entertaining their other guests. The ball wouldn't start for another hour or so, which gave Juvia plenty of time to get ready. She added a light, vanilla-scented oil to the water in the tub and soaked in it for half an hour. Today, she put extra effort in doing her hair, and this time, she actually applied a little make up. Just a tiny bit of blush and eyeliner, that was all. She put on her dress and was pleased that it hugged her slim figure. She put on her black heels and studied herself in the mirror. She looked good! Would Gray-sama like it? She hoped so. She grabbed the small, brown box from the dresser and opened it. The two necklaces inside shimmered in the room's light. She placed the heart necklace on her neck. The key necklace would go to Gray-sama. She closed the box and stuffed it down her bra. She stepped out of her room and was about to knock on Gray-sama's door but he opened it before she had a chance.

"Oi! Juvia... you ready?" he asked. Then he saw her. Really saw her. She felt herself blush as he looked her up and down. "Juvia you look... you look beautiful" he said, clearing his throat. She smiled shyly at him.

"Gray-sama, thank you. Juvia thinks you look wonderful" she said. But that was an understatement. She thought he was certainly the most gorgeous man on this earth. Today he was wearing black dress slacks, shiny, new black shoes, and as a pleasant coincidence, his dress shirt was the same color as her dress. Over it he wore a black vest and a matching red tie. As always, his black hair was messy, but he looked sexy. He offered her his arm and she took it. He towered over her, and she felt herself flush as he looked down at her and gave her one of his crooked smiles. She was proud to be the one at his arm. She felt like she was walking on air. When they entered the great hall, they were greeted by many of the guests. They asked the Fairy Tail mages many questions, they wanted to stay and chit chat, but Gray-sama was quick with words and was finally able to pull them away from the crowd.

"For fucks sake" he huffed, "you would think they've never seen mages before".

Juvia giggled.

"Gray-sama shouldn't use those words!" she scolded jokingly.

"You owe me, Juvia. This whole trip has been a nightmare. Those silly girls were driving me mad yesterday. I can't go through that ever again. I didn't know it was possible to be completely empty-headed. Even Natsu the dumbass has more brains" Gray complained.

"Juvia failed Gray-sama?" she asked, biting her lip.

"What? No, not that way. Just don't ever make me stay in a place like this again, ok?" he said, taking two cups of wine from a passing servant. He handed one to Juvia.

"Juvia doesn't drink" she said, wrinkling her nose.

"That's good" Gray replied, drinking his wine in one gulp. He then drank Juvia's wine. "Shit, Saori's coming" he said, pretending to not see the young lady. Juvia frowned. She didn't want Saori taking Gray-sama away.

"Gray-sama, there you are! I've been looking all over for you! Come with me, there's people I want you to meet" she said. She looked at Juvia once and smiled, but to Juvia it felt like she was sneering rather smiling. Linking her arm through Gray's, Saori pulled him away. Juvia heard him say something about needing to get back quickly, that he wasn't good at social gatherings, but Saori-san ignored him. Juvia was so jealous, she wanted to march right after them. In fact, she would do just that!

"Juvia! By golly, woman, you look stunning!" Westly-san said, grinning from ear to ear. Curse her luck! She forced herself to smile politely.

"Thank you, Westly-san" she said. She allowed herself to be swept into the crowd by the handsome young man and was introduced to every guest she hadn't yet met. She smiled politely and laughed when she had to and took pictures with anyone who asked. This whirlwind of social attention was making her dizzy. Then the music started. A fast paced waltz that she knew not how to dance. All around them couples gathered at the dance floor and began to dance.

"Honor me, Juvia?" Westly said, offering her his arm. She resigned herself and accepted the offer to dance. It was the man's birthday after all.

He was a very good dancer, she admitted. Juvia didn't know how to dance, but he lead her through the floor swiftly, guiding her steps, showing her exactly how to move to the music. This was actually kind of fun... but it would have been better if she was dancing with Gray-sama. The song finally finished, and a slower paced song began to play.

"Forgive me, my beautiful muse, but it would be rude of me to only have one dance partner. I must dance with the other ladies, but I promise to come back to you before the night ends" Westly-san said, kissing her hand before walking away.

"Ugh, it's almost sickening to see him like a dog in heat over you" Gray-sama said, startling her.

"Juvia is annoyed by his advances. Juvia doesn't love Westly-san" she said. Gray-sama took her hand in his and lead her to the dance floor.

"I know" he said, as they began to dance slowly. Juvia rested her head against his chest, and he held her firmly by the waist. She could happily fall asleep to the steady beat of his heart. There was nowhere in the world she would want to be right now than here, dancing with Gray-sama. He was holding her so gently, she almost wept. But it was a good feeling. She could imagine dancing with this man forever. Too soon the song ended.

More and more guests kept arriving at the palace though, and it was announced that the ice-skating ring was now ready for the guests to use. Everyone clapped and many of the young guests left to go skate, while the older guests stayed behind to chat.

"This is boring as fuck" Gray-said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Juvia smacked his arm.

"Perhaps for an ice mage, but Juvia is sure not many people have been ice-skating before" she said.

"Do you want to?" Gray-sama asked her. She shook her head. She noticed the siblings were looking for someone... probably them.

"Gray-sama... Juvia doesn't want Westly-san to find her" she said, hiding behind the ice mage.

"Good. I don't want to be found either" he replied, and pulled her along behind him. Sneaking their way around the room, hiding behind guests and tables, Gray lead them out of the great hall, but not before taking a tray laden with food from an unsuspecting servant. They ran until they reached Gray-sama's room.

"That was easier than I thought" he said, closing the door behind him. Juvia laughed and sat at the edge of his bed. "You should laugh more often, Juvia. It suits you" he said, avoiding her eyes. She blushed at the compliment.

"Do you think they will come looking for us?" she asked as he sat on the floor.

"Nah, they can't leave their guests unattended" he said, grabbing a stuffed mushroom from the tray. "The food is good" he added as an after thought. Juvia joined him on the floor as they ate.

"We forgot to get drinks" Gray said. Juvia stood up and made her way to the night stand on the other side of the bed upon which a jug of water was placed nightly by the maids. She took a long drink from it and made her way back to Gray-sama with the jug.

"Does Gray-sama want a drink?" she asked. He nodded and grabbed her hand and attempted to take the jug from her, but she slipped, causing her to lose her balance and stumble. She fell on Gray-sama spilling the water all over him and herself. She looked down at him and attempted to apologize; she expected him to throw her off him as he had done many times before but he didn't. Instead, he buried his hand into her hair and pulled her head down to his, covering her lips with his own. Her small gasp of surprise was lost between their lips. Juvia's heart was about to explode. Gray-sama was kissing her! She returned his kiss with ardor as his hands roamed up and down her back. They broke the kiss, but he kissed her delicate neck. He sat up with her straddling him, her dress riding up her thighs. She threw her head back, allowing him free acces to her warm skin. She didn't know what was happening. She never thought her most cherished dreams would be coming true this very night. All she knew was that she wasn't going to stop this. Gray-sama's rough hands touched her bare thighs, pushing her dress up even more. He moved one hand to unzip her velvet dress, making it slide down her smooth shoulders. Shoulders he started kissing softly, making his way down to the top of her breasts. He touched the small box.

"What's this?" he asked in a hoarse voice. Juvia took it from him and placed it aside.

"Do not stop, Gray-sama" she said breathlessly. She adjusted her position on his lap better and felt something pressing against her inner thigh. Gray-sama groaned softly against her neck. This made her body tighten in a wave of heat completely new to her. Whatever this new sensation was, she liked it very much. Gray-sama removed his wet tie, vest and shirt, then helped her remove her bra. He cupped her breasts in his hands, causing her to start trembling with emotion and anticipation.

"You're gorgeous" he breathed, burying his face between the mounds of flesh. She undid the zipper of his slacks.

"Gray-sama..." she whispered, and he nodded. He stood up and placed her on the bed, spreading her thighs with his knees.

"Do you want this, Juvia? Stop me now if you don't" he said, looking into the bluenette's eyes. She grabbed his face with both hands and pulled him in for a kiss. That was all the answer he needed.

Juvia held Gray-sama in her arms. He was shaking and breathing hard, his face buried against her neck. Her knees felt weak, like jelly. She scratched his back lightly with her nails. Whatever had happened between them had left them both exhausted in a good way. Gray-sama lifted his head and kissed her lips softly, then rolled of of her. She pulled her dress down and sat up. She looked over at Gray-sama who had his arm draped across his face. Smiling, she put her bra on and zipped up her dress. Gray-sama put his own clothes back on, but neither of them said a word. She was confused and happy at the same time. Finally, Gray-sama broke the silence.

"Juvia... this... what we just did... it's not gonna change things" he said awkwardly. "Listen, there's been something I've been meaning to say, but I didn't know how" he said, scratching his head. Juvia bowed her head, preparing herself mentally for whatever Gray-sama might say. "Juvia, I think you're beautiful. And I obviously know how you, uh, how you feel about me. Thing is, I'm not sure I'm the man you deserve" he continued. Juvia bent down to pick up the brown box. She pulled out the necklace and gave it to Gray-sama.

"Gray-sama has the key to my heart. Even if this doesn't change anything, Juvia will always love Gray-sama" she said quietly.

"Juvia... I'm scared shitless" he said, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Truth is, I'm a fucking coward. A selfish prick. Erza has told me many times to make things clear, and I know I've said some hurtful words in the past, but that was just my way of protecting myself. A defense mechanism of sorts. I push people away, I don't let anyone close because I'm scared that if I do, I will lose them like I lost my family, UI and Ultear" he said. "I don't want to lose you too". Juvia leaned against him.

"Gray-sama will never lose Juvia" she said, holding his hand. "But Gray-sama has to tell Juvia what he feels for her".

"I don't know. I honestly don't know" he sighed, leaning foward to rest his elbows on his knees. "I think you're gorgeous. And I love your innocence. You're an amazing friend and a loyal guild mate. You're smart and you make laugh. But sometimes you creep me out. I tell myself I feel nothing, but when Lyon orbWestly have their hands on you, I want to smash their face in" he said. "I get jealous. And I miss you when you're not giving me attention, but at the same time I don't want it. I'm lost, Juvia"

Juvia remained silent, and gently placed her small hand on his shoulder. As a woman, she now knew what he felt for her, even if he didn't. Her heart was overflowing with joy. She took the necklace dangling from his hands and put it around his neck.

"Juvia will wait for Gray-sama to realize" she said, smiling softly.

"Realize? Realize what?" he asked. She shook her head and went to the door.

"Juvia thinks it's time to get back to the party" she said with a smile.

**A/N: **_Hi guys! I give you here Chapter 8. Now, it was ready since yesterday and I debated with myself for hours whether to upload or it not. I had two ideas for this chapter, but I decided to go with this one... please tell me what you think, if you liked it or if it was a little rushed or just anything you want to say, let me know! I'm try double upload today as well, so stay tuned! xoxo_


	9. Chapter 9

The first thing Juvia noticed when she and Gray-sama walked back into the ball was that Saori-san glared daggers at her. Juvia blushed furiously and combed her hair with her fingers in an attempt to fix it. She hadn't even bothered to check what she looked like after she and Gray-sama had... well... after _that. _

"You look fine" Gray-sama said, as though he had read her mind. He gave her a wink and then shoved his hands into his pockets. Juvia beamed at him and looked around. There was really no reason to stay anymore. The job was done and they had kept their word: they had attended Westly-san's birthday party. She thought it was the perfect time to leave. She would seek out Westly-san, and thank him, pick up their stuff, and she and Gray-sama would be on their way. She told Gray-sama as much and he agreed.

"Alright, that sounds good to me" he said. "I'll go get our stuff. I'll meet you here in five minutes". Juvia nodded and watched him go.

"Juvia-chan" Saori-san said coldly from behind the water mage. "Westly was looking for you earlier".

"Oh? Juvia did not think she would be missed" Juvia said frostily. After all, she owed this woman nothing, and by the looks of it, this woman wanted Gray-sama for herself. No, Juvia would not tolerate that.

"Were you with Gray-kun?" Saori snapped. Juvia glared at her.

"Juvia and Gray-sama are guildmates, so yes, Juvia was with Gray-sama... is there a problem?" the bluenette bit out.

"No... none at all" Saori-san sneered and then sauntered off without another word. Juvia huffed and went to look for Westly-san. She at least owed _him _her gratitude for being kind to her. She searched snd searched, but couldn't find him. She ventured out of the great hall and into the hallway. She caught a glimpse of a dark green cape turning the corner. It had to be Westly-san... he was the only one wearing a cape at the party. She followed him quickly, wanting to say good bye and leave as soon as possible. As she turned the corner herself, she saw that Westly-san had his arm draped around a yound girl's shoulders. Juvia stopped in her tracks, not wanting to interrupt them. She hid behind a pillar and eavesdropped.

"You will love it. I never show it to just anyone" he was saying. The young girl giggled.

"So I'm special?" she asked him sweetly. Westly-san chuckled.

"Very special" he murmured. Juvia saw that he was leading the young girl down the same path she herself had stumbled upon the day before. She knew that the next hallway would lead him to the dark corridor... and then to the stone steps. Juvia followed them, careful to avoid detection.

Yes... just as she had suspected, he led the girl to the corridor. Juvia remained in the shadows.

"Westly-kun... what is this place?" the girl asked, sounding a little alarmed.

"It's just a little further down, don't worry" he answered, tightening his hold on the girl. Juvia frowned. He walked down tue corridor and then made his way down the stone steps.

"Westly-kun... I don't think I want to go..." the girl was saying, her voice fading. Juvia looked around and then ran down tue corridor herself. She waited a few seconds before following them down the stone steps. The stones steps turned out to lead into an even darker, damp dungeon of sorts. From what Juvia could see, the walls were lined with cells. She was nauseated by the stench that assaulted her nostrils, and covered her mouth and nose withbher small hands. Up ahead she could hear the girl crying and begging to be released, but it was too dark for Juvia to see.

"Please... let me go... my family will be worried sick" the girl sobbed. Westly-san scoffed.

"Your family? You have none" he said. Juvia was horrified. She didn't know what to do. She heard muffled struggling and grunting. The girl was sobbing loudly now and then Juvia heard a loud smack, as if someone had been thrown against the stone wall. She knew it had been the girl because the sobbing stopped. She heard footsteps approaching and she pressed herself against the wall, hoping that the shadows would keep her hidden. They did. Westly-san walked right past her and up the stone steps. Juvia ran down the dungeon and called out quietly.

"Hello?"

But there was no answer. "Hello?" she called out again.

"Get out of here while you can, girl, before you get caught too" a horase voice said. Juvia followed the sound.

"What is going on here?" she asked.

"The Red Rose family like to collect young girls" the voice said. Juvia located the cell and knelt infront of it, holdig on to the bars.

"Why? What for?" she asked again.

"For their pleasure and sadistic enjoyment. We get tortured. Saori-san is cruel, and Westly-san... uses us" the unknown girl said before succumbing to a fit of cough.

"Juvia will get you out of here... hang on just a second" the water mage said, rattling the bars.

"No you won't, Juvia-chan" Westly-san said. Juvia hadn't heard him come back. She stood quickly and shot a water beam into the drarkness. "Now now, my pretty one, if you use water in here, I won't be able to light this lantern" Westly said calmly.

"Westly is a monster!" Juvia shouted. A light appeared, and it illuminated Westly hokding the lantern.

"It's too bad you found out about this. I wanted to keep you as a misstress" he said nonchalantly.

"Juvia will never be yours!" the bluenette said angrily.

"On the contrary, Juvia. You're already mine" he replied.

"Water Slicer!" Juvia shouted, attacking Westly. The sharp water-blades connected with the wall, instead of their intended target. Juvia turned on her heel, stumbled a bit, regained her footing, and fled towards the stone steps.

"Get back here!" Westly-san laughed. Seconds later, Juvia felt a hard, cold chain wrap around her waist. She was lifted off the ground and pulled back through the air. Before she could turn herself to water to escape, she was slammed against a wall. She struggled to get up as she heard the doors of the cell closing.

"Fool! Juvia will escape from here and Gray-sama will teach you a lesson!" Juvia said. The dungeon was so dark she couldn't see Westly.

"Good luck escaping" Westly-san yawned. Juvia was furious. She tried to turn her body into water... and it didn't work. "These cells have magic cancelling properties. You're mine Juves. Get comfortable" he said.

"You won't get away with this" Juvia spat.

"Really? Because right now my sister is probably draining Gray-kun of his magic. There's no escape for you Juves... Gray-sama will be killed and you will be mine forever" Westly whispered.

Juvia hoped with all her heart that Westly was mistaken, and Gray-sama would come to rescue her.

**A:N: **_Hello guys! Sorry for not updating in a few days but, as life would have it, I have a lot of things to deal with and won't be able to update for the next day or two. I hope you like this chapter though! Please review! _


	10. Chapter 10

Juvia sat curled up against the wall. Moments before, Westly had left the dungeon. She had no way of knowing how much time had passed, but she guessed maybe about ten minutes. She was suppossed to have met her beloved Gray-sama a while ago... surely he would notice something was awry? Frustrated and aching, she buried her face in her hands. If only there was a way to communicate with Gray-sama through her mind. But that was impossible. The only one who was able to do that was Warren back at the guild.

"Miss... are you ok?" the girl from before asked from somewhere in the darkness.

"Yes... how long has Westly kept you here?" Juvia asked.

"There are two of us here that have been held captive for at least a month. And now you and the other girl" the unknown voice said hoarsely.

"What does Westly and his sister do here?" Juvia asked, crawling her way towards the cell's bars.

"They rob us of our youth and energy" the voice said, coughing.

"Juvia doesn't understand" the water mage said

"You heard him... Saori saps people of their magic power and youth. She keeps it for herself and shares it with her brother. She's more dangerous than Westly" the girl answered.

Juvia remained silent. She hoped Gray-sama wasn't hurt. If he was, it was her fault. It was her fault for agreeing to attend this party and it was her fault for following Westly down to the dungeon. The minutes passed by in silence. Then Juvia heard voices. She was sure she could hear an arguement. She strained to listen.

"I don't know ok? He just left. He disappeared and nobody knows where he went. His room is empty. So is that blue haired bitch's room" Saori was saying.

"How the fuck could you lose him? I practically gave hin to you in a silver platter" Westly snapped at his sister. The voices were coming closer.

"Well, he's sneaky, ok? And my charms didn't work. He just didn't find me attractive" Saori huffed. The dungeon became lit by the light given off of the latern Saori carried. "Where is she?" Saori demanded.

"At the second to the last cell" Westly answered. "But don't be so hard on her... I really want her" he added. Juvia felt sick to her stomach. Saori came into view, standing infront of the cell.

"You stupid girl. Where did Gray-kun go?" she asked of the water mage. Juvia glared at her.

"Juvia will never tell you where Gray-sama went!" the bluenette snapped. Nevermind that she didn't even know where he was. Saori stepped into the cell with Juvia and grabbed her by the hair, pushing her head down so that Juvia was bent low, close to Saori's knees. The dark haired girl raised her knee, connecting hard with the water mage's mouth and nose. Immediately blood gushed out of her nostrils. Juvia struggled to get free but Saori did a sort of turning kick, surprisingly limber even while wearing her heavy dress. Juvia was knocked back against the wall, hitting her head on the stone.

"Lets get out of here. We need to find that ice mage before he ruins everything" Westly said. Saori fixed her dress and the siblings left the dungeon. Juvia slid down against the wall, holding her aching head. Where was Gray-sama? Gifted as she was with her Water Magic, she wasn't skilled in hand to hand combat. Her head pounding, Juvia tried again to use her magic to no avail. Once more, she heard footsteps coming down the stone steps. She stood up and prepared herself better by assuming a defensive stance.

"Juvia?!" he called out. Juvia sagged with relief.

"Gray-sama! Over here!" she said, rushing towards the cell's door and gripping the iron bars. She heard his running footsteps.

"What the hell happened?" Gray-sama asked, rattling the bars.

"Juvia is sorry! Juvia followed Westly and got herself caught. These cells have magic-cancelling properties so Juvia could not escape! And Westly uses Chain Magic" Juvia babbled, wanting to relay as much important information as possible.

"Let's get you out of here first" Gray said. "Stand back". He froze the iron bars to the breaking point, kicking them in and shattering them to pieces. The dungeon was momentarily illuminated by Gray's magic and Juvia ran to him, throwing herself against his chest and wrapping her arms around his neck. He stiffened for a moment before relaxing and wrapping his arms around her waist. After a few seconds, he gently disengaged himself from her.

"How many are here?" he asked, wiping Juvia's blood off with his sleeve.

"Four of us in total" Juvia replied.

"Get behind me... I'm going to freeze everything... everyone else here, stand back from the cell doors" Gray-sama said. In an instant, he used his Ice Make magic to freeze the floor and everything else. Again, his magic illuminated the dungeon so they were able to free the other girls quickly. Two of them, the ones that had been trapped for a month, needed help. They were too weak to walk on their own. Juvia helped shoulder one, and Gray helped the other. The five of them left the dungeon as quickly as they could.

"Thank you" the blond one rasped as they reached the top of the steps.

"We need to get them out of here" Gray said. Juvia nodded.

"Juvia will take them" she said, turning to the brunette. "Will you help me?"

The girl was weeping softly, but nodded and helped Juvia take the girls out into the hallway. She didn't want to leave Gray-sama alone, but she knew he would be ok. As they were making their way down the hallway, the maid that had helped Juvia before appeared. She gasped and dropped the tray full of plates from the party.

"Oh my goodness! Marin!" she cried, rushing to where the captives stood. She flung her arms around the blond's thin shoulders. "How? When did you escape?!" she asked the girl.

"It was Juvia-sama. She found us all and she and Gray-sama let us free" the brunette answered instead because the blond was coughing hard. The maid hugged the blond and began to sob.

"Thank you! Thank you so much! She's my sister, she's been missing for over a month. The last time she was seen, she had been out on a date with Westly-san. I knew she had to be here. Nobody dares question the Red Rose family though. They are the wealthiest here, and so hold all the power. I came to work here a little over three weeks ago to try and find out what had happened to my sister" the maid explained between sobs.

"What is your name?" Juva asked the maid, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Yuzuriha" the maid replied, looking up at Juvia and wiping her eyes.

"Yuzuriha-chan... you must take these girls to safety. Take them to your room if you can. Juvia has to get back to Gray-sama. Can you do that?" the rain woman asked gently. Yuzuriha nodded and stood, helping her sister. The four girls left and Juvia was free to go help Gray-sama. She ran back to where she had left him, but he wasn't there. Juvia looked frantically for him until she heard a loud crash. She was sure it was her ice mage, so she followed the sound which led her to the ball room. People were filing out quick, taking no notice of the bluenette. Inside the room, however, a crowd had gathered and they were murmuring amongst themselves. Juvia stood on tip toes and peeked through the crowd of people. In the middle was Gray-sama who had Westly by the lapels of his shirt. Westly had a bloody nose and was gasping for breath.

"Tell them all how you're a piece of shit. Tell them about your dungeon and what you do there!" Gray-sama snarled.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Westly sputtered.

"Bullshit! Tell them how you kidnap young girls and lock them in the dungeon!" the ice mage raged, tightening his grip on Westly. There was a collective gasp from the guests. Then Saori was next to Gray-sama and she places her bejeweled hand upon his shoulder.

"That's enough, Gray-kun" she murmured. In that moment, Gray-sama cried out in pain and released Westly. The ice mage fell to his knees as Saori sucked the magic right out of him.

"GRAY-SAMA!" Juvia cried at the top of her lungs. She could endure being beaten and hurt herself, but she would never let anyone hurt her Gray-sama. Turning to water, she rushed at Saori at full speed.

**A/N: **_Hey guys! Hope you enjoy this chapter. Please review and leave me your thoughts! See you soon! xoxo_


	11. Chapter 11

All Juvia could think about was Saori, and how that wench was hurting Gray-sama. Juvia would never allow that. Her body was a powerful torrent of water, and she smashed against Saori with all her might, slamming the girl against a marble pillar and making it crack. Juvia was back to her own body, but she did not cease her attack.

"Water Slicer!" she cried, aiming for Saori once more. She missed the dark haired girl by inches , slicing only her hair. People began to scream in panic and fled the room in waves.

"Westly! Help!" Saori yelled. Westly used his chains to bind Juvia's hands. But Gray-sama was on his feet now, and he kicked Westly right across the face. Juvia became distracted for a second watching Gray-sama and was surprised when Saori wrapped her arms around her torso. The water mage felt her magic power begin to drain, a slight burning in her veins that quickly turned to full on liquid fire. She cried out in pain and struggled to break free; an action made difficult because of her waning magic. She saw Westly wrap his chains around Gray-sama, slamming him repeatedly against the walls and the floor. Infuriated, Juvia turned her body to water, effectively slipping through Saori's arms.

"Water Cane!" she screamed, using her water whip to strike Westly. The whip connected with Westly's back, tearing open his shirt and drawing blood, causing him to release the grip on his chains. Gray-sama took the ooportunity to freeze the chains and break free. Once he was free, Juvia turned her attention back to Saori. The younger sister began to run away.

"Run Westly-nii! We can't take them!" she shrieked, grabbing her brother by the scruff of his neck and dragging him along. Gray-sama used his Ice Make magic to freeze the floor. With her high heels, Saori was unable to maintain her balance. She slipped and fell forward, dragging Westly with her.

"Ice Make: Cage!" Gray yelled, trapping the siblings inside. But Westly used his chain magic to break free. Before he and his sister could get more than a few slippery steps away however, Juvia used her Water Lock to trap the criminals inside.

"Gray-sama..." she said, and Gray nodded. He froze the entire dome, giving the siblings no chance to escape.

"Well, that was easier than I expected" Gray said.

"Will they die?" a voice asked behind the mages. It was Yuzuriha.

"No" Juvia said.

"Good, I contacted the Magic Council and they are sending guards to pick them up" she said. "Thank you so much for all your help" she added, wiping tears from her eyes.

"And the others?" Gray asked.

"With their families... they wish to thank you too. Turns out that the Red Rose family has been kidnapping and extorting their victims' families for years. That's how they had all this money, see?" Yuzuriha explained.

"They make me sick" Gray said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Juvia shook her head.

"Juvia feels sick too" she said.

Moments later, the guards arrived and arrested the brother and sister, and their butler as an accomplice. Stepping outside of the ball room, Juvia and Gray-sama were greeted by the guests. Their hands were shook and they were thanked left and right. Apparently nobody liked the Red Rose family but had been too afraid to speak out lest they became the next target. The families of the trapped girls hugged the Fairy Tail mages.

"Take this as a token of our gratitude for saving our daughters and ridding us of that dreadful family" said the father of Yuzuriha and Marin, handing Gray a large bag full of jewels. "It can never compare to the joy you have brought back to our hearts" he added.

"Please, we can't accept this" Gray mumbled, trying to give back the bag. But the families insisted and wouldn't take no for an answer.

After everything was said and done, Gray-sama and Juvia were finally heading back home.

"Those were the longest two days of my life" Gray said. They were travelling by closed carriage this time.

"Juvia's too" the water mage agreed.

"Still, we got well over one millions jewels to split between the two of us" the ice mage said grinning. Juvia's eyes sparkled.

"That's the most money Juvia has ever made in one job" she said.

"Yeah, me too. Guess it wasn't so bad after all" Gray smiled. Juvia smiled at him and looked out the window. She didn't know how their relationship would change, but she was happy about everything that had happened between the two of them. And if she had a chance, she would do it again.

"It's very late. Think we should stop at a hotel for the night?" Gray-sama asked her, interrupting her thoughts. Juvia turned a slight shade of pink.

"Yes. Juvia is exhausted" she said, looking at her hands.

Stopping in a small town, they rented a room. Juvia was nervous, but she made up her mind to be more confident.

"Gray-sama... there's only one bed" she said.

"Yeah... I know" he replied, taking off his heavy boots. Juvia opened her mouth to say something, closed it, opened it again, and then shook her head and sat down on the other side of the bed.

"I can sleep on the floor if you want" Gray said, taking off his shirt. Juvia stared at him for a few seconds.

"No. Juvia doesn't want Gray-sama to sleep on the floor" she said, slipping into the covers. Her heart thumped in her chest as Gray-sama got into bed beside her. He leaned over her and Juvia held her breath but he only turned off the lamp on her night stand. Juvia exhaled and was caught by surprise when he gave her a small peck on her lips.

"Juvia?" Gray-sama murmured.

"Yes?" she breathed.

"I want you again" he said, cupping her cheek.

"Juvia wants you too" she answered. Gray-sama kissed her lips softly...

"Juvia! Gray! You're back!" Lucy exclaimed the next day as Juvia and her ice mage walked throough the guild doors.

"Oi! Ice queen! Where have you been!" Natsu called out.

"Out getting more money than you will ever see" Gray smirked.

"What was that?! I didn't hear you, snowflake!" Natsu taunted.

"I said you fucking suck, flame brain" Gray snapped. And they were fighting each other. Juvia rolled her eyes.

"Juvia-chan! Come over here! Sit with us!" Levy called out to the water mage. Juvia made her way to where Erza, Lucy, Levy and Cana were sitting.

"You look different, Juvia" Erza commented, studying the bluenette. Juvia blushed.

"How so?" she asked, avoiding everyone's eyes. Cana leaned into her.

"Don't lie to us missy. We know that look!" the drunken mage teased.

Levy gasped. "Juvia! Don't tell me you and Gray—" she began.

"No! Juvia doesn't know what you're talking about!" the water mage interrupted, covering her face with her hands.

"Juvia..." Lucy said, looking at the rain woman. She did look different. Her eyes sparkled, she was glowing, and most of all, she seemed confident and more herself, despite the fact that Gray had just stripped naked. Lucy smiled. So it had finally happened. Juvia had her ice mage after all. Gray-sama slid into the chair next to Juvia.

"I'm starting to regret coming back" he said, wiping the blood from his lip.

"I'm not done with you, ice girl!" Natsu roared. He made to punch Gray again, but Lucy grabbed his arm.

"Natsu! Knock it off, they just got here!" she scolded.

"Aye! Plus, look! This mission is perfect for you and Lucy" Happy said, hovering above the dragon slayer's head.

"What job?" Natsu asked, taking the paper from Happy. "Haha! This is perfect, thanks Happy! But wait... why aren't you going too?" he asked the blue cat.

"I'm going on a job with Wendy and Carla" the exceed said happily.

"Well , let's go Luce!" the pink haired mage said, grabbing Lucy's hand and pulling her away.

"Well, I need more beer" Cana said, pushing away from the table and meandering her way to the bar.

"I have to go look for a job myself" Erza said, leaving the table as well.

"Oh! There's Gajeel... I'll be back, you two" Levy said with a wink.

"What's up with them?" Gray asked the water mage. Juvia shrugged. "Well, whatever. Juvia, I wanted to thank you for asking me to go with you on that job. It was actually kind of fun" he said, grabbing hold of her small hand. "And you know what? I wouldn't mind being your partner again" he added. He kissed her hand softly. Juvia smiled and blushed, but inside, she wanted to scream and shout with glee. "I'm gonna go get us some food" he said, and left the table. She didn't care that he wasn't ready to admit his feelings for her in public.. All that mattered to her was that Gray-sama was hers, even if he didn't want to realize it yet. She would give him all the time he needed.

As Mirajane watched Gray carry food for both himself and Juvia, she smiled to herself. So he had fallen after all. Now, if only Natsu could open his eyes too, she thought...

**A/N: **_So, there you guys have it! The final chapter in this fic! First, I apologize for the fighting scene. I am no good in describing a fight lol. Also, I wanted to leave Juvia and Gray's relationship open because I'm thinking of making a second part, if my readers so wish it. I want to thank every single one of you guys who followed and reviewed my work. I wouldn't have continued to write if it wasn't for you guys. It really means a lot to me. Next comes the story of Lucy and Natsu. I hope you all read and enjoy that one too :D Please review this final chapter and tell me what you think! I'll see you guys soon! xoxo_


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